Paul's interest in wine extends beyond simple appreciation and enjoyment. As an academic, he's never without his notepad and pen, and he loves to analyze a wine the way a scholar might pore over a fine piece of literature. After being bitten by the wine bug during graduate school, Paul embarked on his wine journey out of a sense of intellectual curiosity and romantic self-indulgence. Recently, he has turned his sights from simply drinking and writing about wine to actually making the stuff. In 2007, under the label Terra Novus, Paul produced his first barrel of Pinot Noir from grapes from the Sonoma Coast.

Eric Anderson

Eric first became interested in wine in 1983, after sampling the 1982 Bordeaux vintage. It was a watershed event, and he immediately began to accumulate a library of wine books, and spent the next several years attending as many wine tastings and seminars as possible. Since 1990, Eric has chronicled over 600 visits to wineries, both in the U.S. and Europe. Aside from simply enjoying the beverage, he found his interactions with winemakers and proprietors has further enriched his life, and continued to nourish his interest in wine. Eric is also part of GrapeRadio, the James Beard nominated podcast series.

The Wines of Kosta Browne -
April, 2008

Everyone would probably agree that wine tasting is a subjective matter - maybe even highly subjective. One person's "stunner" might be another person's "blah." Yet, there are also occasions when there is a meeting of the mind as to what is in the glass. We've always wondered just how much and how often tasters will differ in their opinions of the same wine. With that in mind, we felt it would be downright interesting, if not instructional, to have two tasters sample the same wines and write tasting notes on each - for side-by-side comparison.

Overall
impressions:
this Kosta Browne lineup offered each of us an opportunity to taste through KB's various 2005 bottlings, and this is definitely an impressive group of wines. Presented were: Rosella's and Garys' from Santa Lucia Highlands; Sonoma Coast and rare Miron SVD from Sonoma Coast; Russian River Valley and Keefer Ranch from RRV; amber Ridge and Koplen from RRV; and the Kanzler from RRV and 4-Barrel, a blend of all AVAs.

Our two tasters agreed, relatively speaking, on several of the wines poured at this tasting. Yet, they obviously had differing opinions about some of the other wines - some quite notable. In fact, when reading the notes, you might even wonder if they were tasting the same wine. So, who's right? Well, if you learn one thing from this episode, there is no right or wrong - just differences. There are differences in how we each perceive aromas and flavors, differences in how we think one thing compares to another, and so on. There are also external forces at work at most tastings. For instance, the fact is that this was also a dinner tasting, and thus the food component could have easily swayed one into a positive or not-so-positive opinion about a given wine. So, let's take a look at the same wines from 'both sides now.'

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé - Russian River Valley
Very nice - crisp and tasty. The fruit was a bit light on the palate, with good mouthfeel and nice finish. Certainly above the level of a quaffer.

2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé - Russian River Valley
A simple Rosé, with bright strawberry and watermelon fruit on the attack. The flavors seem a bit underdeveloped beyond the midpalate, however, and the finish is a bit austere. (85 pts.)

2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé - Russian River Valley
Much meatier in nose and mouthfeel than the '05, with a bit of floral/perfume, and chewier mouthfeel.

2007 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosé - Sonoma Coast
Tons of fruit in this wine. While the two older vintages had more cherry qualities, this one stood out for me with its bigger red fruit. Vnyd source must have changed as well, as this was from Sonoma Coast.

2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
A complex and layered Chardonnay. Aromas of unripe pineapples, nectarines, almond slivers, and hazelnuts are followed by a silky palate of ripe tropical fruits. This is a wine that leaves you wanting more. (91 pts.)

2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
A bit riper in the nose than anticipated, with a fruit profile more towards tropical rather than citrus fruit. Nice enough wine, but it seemed a bit oxidized in aroma, though the flavors and finish was very nice.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
Wow, what a delicious mouthfull of wine. Nice citrusy notes and a bit of tart apple peel in the nose. Very similar flavors on the palate, with nearly perfect balance and nice long finish.

2005 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay - Russian River Valley
Pungent earth and animal greet the nose on this one, but the palate reveals some very interesting, if restrained, notes of wet stones, white flowers, chalk, and lime. A very gaunt Chardonnay. (86 pts.)

2005 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay - Russian River Valley
Huge, smoky oak-influenced nose, with lesser notes of citron and citrus. Big and chewy on the palate, obvious ML-induced mouthfeel, though no overt sweetness was apparent. Certainly not everyone's type of Chard, but God help me, I like it!

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard - Santa Lucia Highlands
Deeper and darker that the Rosella's, with almost a dusty blackberry influence to the black cherry. Seemingly more complex throughout as well with a bit more of that whole cluster sap and resin, and less overt sweetness. Very nice, and my favorite in this flight.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - Sonoma Coast
just a bit of funk on the nose, with lots of red fruit, wet leaf, and orange zest. Also had a darker more brooding and somewhat singed nose than previous wines. Big in mouthfeel, with dark fruit, excellent balance, and a slightly soft feminine finish.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Miron - Sonoma Coast
Only 90 cases produced and a one-off wine for KB. My notes say "decadent," "silky," and "lush." This wine is all that and more. Notes of black raspberries, cherry liqueur, milk chocolate, and brown spices. Interesting contrapuntal note of crushed minerals on the finish. A complex and layered Pinot that deserves to be slowly savored. Tied with the 4 Barrel as my #2 WOTN. 92-93 points. (92 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Miron - Sonoma Coast
Aside from the red and black fruit, this one had some fascinating background notes of charcuterie, roasted beet, dill and a certain minerality. Huge on the palate, with excellent balance, and very long finish. This wine really stood up to the carpaccio amazingly. Pity, there were only 92 cases made of this wine. My favorite in this flight, and a 3-way tie for my WOTN.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - Russian River Valley
Aromas of sweet raspberries and cola are followed by notes of black cherries, ripe strawberries, wet soil, and sassafras. A touch of caramel on the finish. Surprisingly, this wine seemed to work a little better with food than on its own. (90 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - Russian River Valley
Wow! Absolutely killer nose of wild strawberry, floral notes and tea leaf. You could sense the smooth spicy aspects with just a sniff. Excellent balance with beautiful texture on the palate, this wine gains weight from its light velvety initial mouthfeel to its much more determined mid palate, and finishes with power. The proverbial iron fist in the velvet glove. My favorite in this flight, and a 3-way tie for my WOTN.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
The wine showed the most red fruits of all the KBs we tasted that evening. Bright aromas of cranberry, pomegranate, and black cherries. On the palate, sweet raspberry puree, rhubarb, and crushed minerals. Silky mouthfeel is marred by a touch of heat on the finish. 90-91 points. (91 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
Darker than the RRV, with a fascinating nose of red and black fruit, allspice, wet leaf and crazy as it sounds - consomme. More feminine in nose and mouthfeel, this was a gorgeous wine, although coming on-stage right after the RRV was some tough luck.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard - Russian River Valley
Notes of black raspberries, strawberry jam, and black cherries. I enjoyed this wine very much, but in the context of the other outstanding wines, it was not as memorable. (90 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard - Russian River Valley
Slightly brighter nose, with lots of brown spice mingled with dark fruit. Mouthfilling and dense, but also more narrowly focused and thus not nearly as expansive as other bottlings, this one will take some time to grow out of it shell.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard - Russian River Valley
This wine is an absolute knockout! Dramatic aromas of boysenberries, black cherries, and something like Black Forest cake. The palate struts voluptuous notes of black raspberries, black cherries, and with air some blueberries and plum. Sexy and seductive, this wine was a clear favorite and my #1 WOTN. 94-95 points. (94 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard - Russian River Valley
Somewhat bright nose of wild strawberry, spice, with a faint wiff of grapefruit peel and lots of orange zest. Nice dark fruit on the palate, and the orange zest really seems to come through in the flavor profile. I didn't find this wine worked as well as I would have expected with the Salmon, however, it did work better than the Amber Ridge.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
Dense aromas of black raspberries, black cherries, and hard spices followed by clean and pure cherry fruit on the palate with shadings of wet soil and sassafras. Creamy texture and a long silky finish. Michael Browne said he had a tough time with this wine, but it seems whatever wrinkles there were have been completely smoothed out. A seamless wine. (92 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard - Sonoma Coast
Big and slightly sweet fruit in the nose, with some bright notes of red fruit, brown spice, flint, and wet leaf. Mouthfilling, with a definite leaning to ripeness with its dark cherry compote flavor. Smooth, terrific balance, and very nice finish, though something in the dish (brandy?) seemed to bring out the heat on the back end of the wine. This wine ust got nosed out for my favorite in this flight.

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel - Russian River Valley
Begins a little meaty on the nose with additional notes of reduced cherries, strawberry jam, and teriyaki sauce. With extended aeration, however, the wine blossoms with bold notes of raspberry puree, strawberry jam, black cherries, and spice. The palate mirrors the nose. The finish is long and rich. Tied with the Miron as my #2 WOTN. 92-93 points. (92 pts.)

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel - Russian River Valley
Wow! slightly bright nose of red and black fruit, spice, orange zest, and a lovely juiciness.
Expansive too, as everytime I revisited the glass there seemed to be something new or changed. Huge and juicy in mouthfeel, this is packed with dark fruit and spice, along with nice citrusy elements of orange and grapefruit. Very nice structure, excellent balance and grippy long finish. While this is still an infant, it was not stretch to see the depth of potential here. My favorite in this flight, and a 3-way tie for my WOTN.

2003 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man - Edna Valley
A really delicious dessert wine that was dense without being too heavy. Notes of honey, baking spices, candied pecans, and dried apricots followed by brown sugar, baked peaches, and marzipan on the palate. While delicate in the mouth, I do think it could have benefitted from a bit more acidity. 92-93 points. (92 pts.)

2003 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man - Edna Valley
Nose of lemon cheesecake, caramel and pistachio -- meaty, with incredible concentration and acidity that more than stood up to the chocolate.
Wow!